U.S. soccer world flocks to Phila.

One of the largest American cities without a professional outdoor soccer team will host one of the biggest events in American soccer this afternoon.

The 2006 Major League Soccer SuperDraft is being held today at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

While Philadelphia has been on the outside looking in throughout MLS' 10-year history, Penn men's soccer coach Rudy Fuller said hosting the draft gives the city a chance to make the case for having a team here.

"Any attention soccer gets by the media in Philadelphia is certainly a plus in our favor," he said.

In addition to the local attention, the first hour of the draft will be televised nationally on Fox Soccer Channel.

Fuller said that he is not directly involved with any of the logistics of the event "other than coaches calling me for input on players."

He added that he hasn't even been asked for tips on good restaurants.

Nonetheless, Fuller expects the draft -- which is held in conjunction with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's annual convention -- to be very well attended.

"This is obviously a very convenient location for the convention because there are so many soccer people up and down the Northeast Corridor," he said. "I would expect the attendance to be higher than ever."

Soccer fans are also welcome to attend the draft, which starts at noon and is free to the public, a spokesperson for Major League Soccer said yesterday. Fans of D.C. United and the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, the two closest teams to Philadelphia, are expected to be present in large numbers.

Granted, this draft doesn't generate the kind of buzz that the NBA or NFL drafts at Madison Square Garden do, but Fuller said that the atmosphere has "become much better since it's become part of the convention. You have a huge soccer community that shows up."

Fuller has seen a number of the 121 players listed by MLS as available for drafting play in person. Four -- Brown midfielder Keith Cauldwell, Dartmouth midfielders Darnell Nance and P.J. Scheufele and Princeton midfielder and 2004 Ivy League Player of the Year Darren Spicer -- faced Penn in Ivy League play, while Temple forward Tony Donatelli is familiar through the annual Philadelphia Soccer Seven series.

They "have a lot to offer," Fuller said. "Whether that's enough for them to get drafted will be seen."

The Ivy League has long had a presence in MLS, with eight alumni of the conference currently in the pro game. Chicago Fire and former Princeton defender Jesse Marsch is perhaps the best-known of them, having been in MLS since its inception in 1996.

Two coaches in MLS also have Ancient Eight ties -- Chicago's Dave Sarachan, formerly of Cornell, and Chivas USA's Bob Bradley, formerly of Princeton.

The only Penn player to ever be drafted was goalkeeper Matt Haefner, who was chosen by the Columbus Crew in 2004. He was not offered a contract, though, and has since moved on from the game.

The Ivy League has also had an impact on European soccer through former Brown defender Cory Gibbs. He now plays for Feyenoord, one of the top teams in the Netherlands, and has also played for the U.S. national team.

Fuller said he expects the lineage of Ivy Leaguers in pro soccer to be extended today.

"There have been players in the [Ivy] League that have done well in MLS and overseas," he said. "I would expect this would be a regular occurrence."

The players expected to be picked early, however, come from more traditional soccer powers.

The consensus among reports from the player combine held earlier this month is that UCLA defender Marvell Wynne, who has also played for the U.S. Under-20 national team, will be drafted first by Chivas USA.

Other college stars who will likely hear their names called on television include Maryland forward Jason Garey -- who led the Terrapins to the national championship last fall -- Santa Clara midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy, Seton Hall midfielder Sacha Kljestan and North Carolina midfielder Dax McCarty.

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